Huqqa in Art

Exploring splendid 'huqqas' and 'huqqa' depictions made across the world in the Salar Jung Museum collection (1600-1950)

Studies of a Man Smoking and a Man Drinking (recto); Studies of a Man Smoking, a Head, and Calligraphic Flourishes (verso) (about 1650–1660) by Dirk (Theodorus) HelmbrekerThe J. Paul Getty Museum

The concept of smoking

Let’s go back in time to see how smoking emerged. The concept of smoking is since ancient times, as early as 5000 BC. Before the arrival of tobacco, cannabis along with  other plants were vaporized on hot rocks or charcoal, burned as incense or in vessels and inhaled directly.

Double folio from a Kitab-i hasha'ish (The book of herbs) (Manuscript dated September 1595)Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

Tobacco and smoking

The term ‘smoking’ appeared with the widespread use of Tobacco. Tobacco is a hardy flowering perennial plant, growing freely in rich moist soil. It is said there are approximately 40 varieties of tobacco. 

Landing of Christopher Columbus (1800) by David EdwinThe Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Tobacco in the Caribbean

The story of smoking is thus very old. In the medieval times it seems to coincide with the discovery of tobacco, a plant. It was the Italian adventurer, Christopher Columbus on his journeys that he found it growing in the Caribbean Islands in the year 1492. 

Emperor Akbar enjoying Huqqa in court. (1900/1999)Salar Jung Museum

Tobacco reaches Mughal court

Columbus took it to Europe also wondering if it could be used for colonial gains. It further moved on from there. A Portuguese traveller brought it to the Bijapur court in the Deccan in India, and a Mughal courtier visiting Bijapur took it to the Mughals.

Base for a Water Pipe (huqqa) (circa 1700-1750) by UnknownLos Angeles County Museum of Art

History of the huqqa

Tobacco became popular among aristocracy, in the 16th century and a new way of smoking was in need. ‘Ain-i-Akbari’, a 16th century court document written by Abu’l Fazal, Akbar’s court historian states that glass was produced  in the royal karkhanas; used to make 'huqqa'.

Masnad at Dewan DeodiSalar Jung Museum

The Museum Collection

The Museum has an interesting repertoire of huqqas from different countries and miniature paintings showing royals and other people enjoying the huqqa. It is now known that smoking is injurious to health and the museum does not promote it in any way!

Let us see a few huqqas!

Portrait of Noorjehan (1900/1950)Salar Jung Museum

Mughal Empress Noorjehan

Mughal Empress Noorjehan seated on a chair with two flowers in her left hand and a huqqa pipe in her right. A landscape with a fort is seen behind the parapet, a framed painting on ivory in Mughal style, from Kashmir, dated to 20th century.

Raja Kiran Prakash enjoying huqqa (1800/1800)Salar Jung Museum

Raja Kiran Prakash

Raja Kiran Prakash seated on a carpet with bolster and enjoying huqqa. The king is holding an arrow in his right hand, painting from Sirmur, Himachal Pradesh, circa 1800.

A bronze metal huqqa (1800/1825)Salar Jung Museum

Bronze metal huqqa

A huqqa of four pieces with a fluted base decorated in gold gilt having two wooden pipes one attached to the metal fire container shaped like a stemmed cup, the other attached to a flexible smoking tube of cloth with a white agate mouth piece, Qutubshahi style, 19th century.

Maharaja Zoravar Singh of Katholi holding a huqqa pipe (1740/1770)Salar Jung Museum

Maharaja Zoravar Singh of Katholi

Maharaja Zoravar Singh of Katholi shown with a gun in left hand, holding a huqqa pipe in his right hand and smoking. Two attendants at his back. Four army generals in front of him, painting from Bundi, Rajasthan, dated to the mid-18th century.

Kanwan Maha Singh of Uniara on horseback smoking a huqqa (1760/1760)Salar Jung Museum

Kanwan Maha Singh of Uniara

Kanwan Maha Singh of Uniara on horseback smoking a huqqa, with two attendants seen, one holding the huqqa base, painting from Kota, Rajasthan, circa 1760.

Huqqa base on stand (1775/1799)Salar Jung Museum

Huqqa base on stand

Green globular huqqa base with leaf designs in panels whose design is painted in gold colour, resting on four leaf designed legs, Mughal, dated to the late 18th century.

Huqqa base (1600/1699)Salar Jung Museum

Huqqa base

Bell-shaped white huqqa base painted to represent floral designs in square panels, each flower in panel and creeper designs below in the body, from  Deccan, dated to the late 17th century.

Huqqa base (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Huqqa base

Porcelain white-coloured huqqa base painted to represent floral designs and conventional Persian motifs, from England, dated to the 19th century.

Huqqa base (1675/1699)Salar Jung Museum

Huqqa base

Blue bell-shaped huqqa base painted to represent spotted designs and upright leaf designs in gold, from the Deccan, dated to the late 17th century.

Huqqa base (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Huqqa base

Huqqa base in glass with red coloured rim and red coloured foot, cut designs, oval and round panels painted with flowers, bordered with red colour. Beading and enamelling work all around, from Bohemia, dated to the 19th century.

Globular huqqa base (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Globular huqqa base

Globular huqqa base slightly flattened at the bottom. Flower-plant pattern in ogee panels on the body. Flower creeper, creeper and leafy borders on the shoulder and floral designs at the neck. All the designs in relief set in with silver and copper, from Bidar, 19th century.

Fakir seated on a tiger skin (1775/1799)Salar Jung Museum

Fakir seated on a tiger skin

A fakir seated on a tiger-skin under a tree and enjoying huqqa with his six followers, of which is one standing with a bowl in front of him. Four flower pots with flowers are shown, a Deccani painting, from the late 18th century.

Gilt huqqa base (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Gilt huqqa base

Gilt bell shaped huqqa base with flower stalk pattern on body and neck. Flower creeper bands below and at the top. Engraved designs fitted in with enamel green, blue and dark brown, from Bidar, dated to the19th century.

Two princesses (1775/1799)Salar Jung Museum

Two princesses

Two princesses enjoying music and huqqa. One is holding a huqqa pipe in her left hand, the other one is  holding a flower in her left hand and a rosary in her right; a bolster at their back. An old lady seen speaking to a princess;  Deccani painting from late 18th century.

Huqqa base (1700/1799)Salar Jung Museum

Bud shaped huqqa base

Huqqa base shaped like a bud or kali;  enamelled with rose flowers and bouquets in various colours, made out of metal, from Persia, dated to the 18th century.

Red coloured huqqa (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Red coloured huqqa

Red coloured glass huqqa base painted to represent floral, scroll and leafy designs and with gold work, from Venice, dated to the 19th century.

Man reading book (1900/1999)Salar Jung Museum

Man reading book

Painted brass figure of a bearded man squatted on a desk and reading a book, a huqqa is at left on a red and multi coloured carpet, from Germany, dated to the 20th century.

King Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (1800/1825)Salar Jung Museum

King Fath-Ali Shah Qajar

King Fath-Ali Shah Qajar with a long beard, wearing three-plumed crown, holding huqqa pipe in right hand and a rosary in left. A sword; talwar on his lap and a dagger, jambia at waist, a Deccani painting from early 19th century.

Huqqa base (1600/1699)Salar Jung Museum

Huqqa base

Bell-shaped glass huqqa base painted to represent flower plants in oval panels both over the neck and body in miniature and large size respectively; creeper designs at the bottom, Mughal, from the 17th century.

Couple with huqqa (1900/1950)Salar Jung Museum

A couple with huqqa

Miniature painting on oval ivory slab in Kangra style. A prince standing with his wife near a minaret. Two maids standing before the door holding huqqa. A peacock seated above the door; building on hills and cloudy sky form the serene backdrop, dated to the 20th century. 

Blue and white porcelain huqqa base (1600/1699)Salar Jung Museum

Blue and white porcelain huqqa base

Frog shaped huqqa base painted to represent scroll and floral designs in blue colour. Made at Royal factory Jingdezhen which  is situated in the north-east of Jiangxi province of China, dated to the 17th century.

Glass huqqa base (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Glass huqqa base

Red coloured huqqa base in the shape of a bird; painted to represent scroll designs with an Arabic inscription, maybe for the Arab market, from Venice, dated to the 19th century.

Bidri bell shaped huqqa base (1900/1925)Salar Jung Museum

Bidri bell shaped huqqa base

A huqqa base with slightly flaring mouth with decoration in silver inlay, the neck is decorated with flowers and flower pots. The body is decorated with flower plants having flower pots in between and divided by two bands of flowers, from Bidar, dated to the 20th century.

Lady under a tree with huqqa (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Lady under a tree with huqqa

A lady standing under a tree with right hand uplifted and holding huqqa pipe in left hand, a Deccani painting, dated to the 19th century.

Blue coloured coconut designed huqqa base (1700/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Coconut-shaped huqqa base

Blue coloured coconut shaped huqqa base painted to represent beaded garlands with scroll designs, from England, dated to the 18th/19th century.

Gourd shaped brass huqqa base (1700/1799)Salar Jung Museum

Gourd-shaped brass huqqa base

A gourd-shaped brass huqqa base with ribs on its body having incised floral designs all over,  from India, dated to the 18th century.

Ceremonial Elephant (1901/1999)Salar Jung Museum

Ceremonial elephant

Figure of an elephant in ceremonial attire carrying ambari with two seated persons inside with a mahout, mounted on a carved ivory platform, from India, dated to the 20th century,

Bidri huqqa base with tray (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Bidri huqqa base

Huqqa base having melon-shaped body inlaid in silver over the fluting with flowers creeper designs. Deeply curved out and bulging leaf fringe. The huqqa base has a matching tray, from Bidar, dated to the 19th century.

Huqqa base (1800/1899)Salar Jung Museum

Huqqa base

An exquisite huqqa base enamelled in various colours representing turanj and floral designs, made in copper, from Persia, dated to the 19th century.

Woman Smoking from a Bidri Huqqa (late 19th century)Salar Jung Museum

The huqqa collection at Salar Jung Museum is wide, insightful, exciting and belongs to different countries. 

Smoking is a harmful practice and the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad does not promote it any form. 

Credits: Story

Text and Curation: Soma Ghosh and Pallavi Baheti
Photography: M. Krishnamurthy and Bahadur Ali
Research Assistance: Dinesh Singh
Special thanks to : Shri Ashish Goyal, IIS, Director,  Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, India.
Dr. G. Kusum, Curator, Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, India. 



References -
1) M.L. Nigam, Tobacco: Its Impact on Art, Salar Jung Museum, 1979
2) F.W. Fairholt, Tobacco: Its history and associations, 1859
3) Nauras – The many arts of the Deccan, National Museum, New Delhi, Google Arts
and Culture, 2015
4) Willem Floor, The Art of Smoking in Iran and Other uses of Tobacco, JSTOR, 2002
5) Treasures : Salar Jung Museum, Niyogi Books, 2014
6) https://www.hookah-shisha.com/blog/the-history-of-hookah (accessed on 21.11.2023)
7) https://www.karaparsianco.com/News/Detail/1008/history-of-hookah (accessed on 21.11.2023)
8) museumsofIndia.gov.in (accessed on 21.11.2023)

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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